Multimedia data processing apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A graphic representing possible values of attribute data for multimedia data to be stored is displayed and a desired position on the graphic is designated to store the multimedia data and the attribute data. Thus, the registration of the multimedia information is facilitated and the databases is effectively utilized.  
     Multimedia data and attribute data of the multimedia data are stored in a memory and status of the attribute data is displayed in a graphic form, and a desired position on the graphic is designated and the multimedia data is read from the memory in accordance with the designation. Thus, the retrieval of the multimedia data is facilitated and the database is effectively utilized.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to multimedia data processing apparatus and method, and more particularly to apparatus and method for registering and retrieving data such as document, image and audio data.

[0003] 2. Related Background Art

[0004] Database for registering and retrieving various data has been known. In the prior art database, characters and numerals are handled, a system scale is large and the structuring and management of the database are limited to a specific person.

[0005] In a modern database, not only the characters and numerals but also multimedia data such as images and audio are added and the conventional large scale database handling the characters and numerals is gradually being expanded to a small scale and personal database such as an image library. The structuring and management of the database are changing from the those by the specific person in the conventional database to those by the user of the database.

[0006] As the multimedia data has been becoming readily available on the computer, application software called catalogue software in which the multimedia data is managed like a library and a required one is picked up from a list has been available. The catalogue software simplifies the operation of input and registration of attribute information as key words to the data and also simplifies the retrieval function.

[0007]FIG. 1 shows an example of the catalogue software. FIG. 1 shows a still image catalog and a list of images registered in the database is displayed as shown in the left side of the drawing. As a user may designates any image from the displayed images and designates the registration; a Registration scene as shown on the right side of the drawing appears.

[0008] The registration scene is provided with items of attribute information and input fields, and the registration is made by entering a value in the input field. In the illustrated example, fields representing photographed locations are displayed. The user may enter a location name by a keyboard.

[0009] As the attribute information in the catalogue software, an item representing a fuzzy image such as a comfortable image or bright sound may be set and registered. In the example of FIG. 1, attribute information called a degree of refreshness representing a degree of refreshness the image gives is provided as the item representing the fuzzy image. The user may enter a numeric value to this field. In structuring such a database, the work which is largest in volume and which is most disliked by the user is the registration of the attribute information.

[0010] The attribute information is usually inputted by the user through the keyboard. The input operation must be conducted when the database is structured as well as each time the data is updated.

[0011] The data inputted from the keyboard must be accurate and this causes the increase of the work of the user and mental burden of the user.

[0012] In retrieving the data, the retrieval is instructed by inputting the characters and numerals to the registered value. The retrieval work is also burden of the user who utilizes the database.

[0013] By those reasons, while the database is become popular among the users, it is disliked by the users who use the personal computers mainly for word processing works.

[0014] In the catalogue software, the attribute information is entered from the keyboard by entering characters and numerals as they are in the conventional database and the accurate input is required. In retrieving the data, the registered value must be reentered.

[0015] Further, when the fuzzy item is set as the attribute information, decision as to which numeral is to be entered or which numeral is to be used for retrieval is the burden to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems.

[0017] It is another object of the present invention to allow effective use of database by registering data in a simple manner.

[0018] In order to achieve the above objects, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provides a processing apparatus comprising, input means for inputting multimedia data, display means for displaying status of attribute data for the multimedia data in a graphic form, designation means for designating a desired position on the graphic and memory means for storing the attribute data in accordance with the designation by said designation means.

[0019] It is other object of the present invention to allow effective use of the database by retrieving data in a simple manner.

[0020] In order to achieve the above object, in accordance with other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a processing apparatus comprising, memory means for storing multimedia data and attribute data for the multimedia data, display means for displaying status of the attribute data in graphic form, designation means for designating a desired position on the graphic, and read means for reading the multimedia data from said memory in accordance with the designation by said designation means.

[0021] The above and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022]FIG. 1 illustrates catalogue software,

[0023]FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a configuration of a database system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,

[0024]FIG. 3 shows a registration graphics in the embodiment,

[0025]FIG. 4 illustrates a registration operation when attribute information is a fuzzy image,

[0026]FIG. 5 illustrates an operation when registered data is displayed to register data,

[0027]FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of an operation in retrieving registered data in the embodiment,

[0028]FIG. 7 shows display of the read registered data,

[0029]FIG. 8 illustrates an operation in retrieving data,

[0030]FIG. 9 illustrates an operation in registering two attribute information,

[0031]FIG. 10 illustrates an operation in registering data together with two attribute information,

[0032]FIG. 11 illustrates an operation in registering data together with two attribute information while registered data is displayed, and

[0033]FIG. 12 illustrates an operation in registering data together with a plurality of attribute information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] An embodiment of the present invention is now explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0035]FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a configuration of a database system in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] In FIG. 2, numeral 1 denotes a display for displaying a registered and retrieved image, numeral 2 denotes a video board for connecting the display 1 to a bus 9 in a personal computer, numeral 3 denotes a console unit including a keyboard and a mouse for entering attribute information to the database, numeral 4 denotes a disk such as a magneto-optical disk or a CD ROM, numeral 5 denotes SCS1 board for connecting the disk 4 to the bus 9, numeral 6 denotes a speaker for monitoring registered and retrieved sound, numeral 8 denotes an Ethernet board for connecting an external network to the bus 9, numeral 9 denotes a bus for transmitting control signals and data among various units in the system, numeral 10 denotes a CPU for controlling an operation of the system, numeral 11 denotes a RAM for storing an operation program recorded in a hard disk 12, numeral 13 denotes a floppy disk on which multimedia data is recorded and numeral 14 denotes a memory for storing multimedia data and attribute information.

[0037] A database preparation and retrieval program of the system is stored in the hard disk 12 and it is loaded to the RAM 11 when the user instruct to start up the system and executed by the CPU 10.

[0038] The multimedia data which is the data for the database is stored in the hard disk 12, the disk 4 or the floppy disk 13 and it may be entered externally through a network. The user operates on the database program by using a command device such as the keyboard or the mouse to register and retrieve the data of the multimedia to monitor the data, the document or the image is displayed on the display 1 and the sound is reproduced by the speaker 6.

[0039] The registration of the multimedia in such a configuration is now explained.

[0040]FIG. 3 illustrates registration graphics. As shown in FIG. 3, when attribute information of photographed location is to be entered, an actual map is displayed on the display 1 and an image icon is moved by the console unit 3 and moved to a desired position (drag and drop). In the present configuration, in registering the photographed location, the user may register by the operation of the mouse only rather than to enter an actual location name by the keyboard in the conventional system.

[0041] The CPU 10 detects the position dropped on the map, detects the corresponding location name from the hard disk 12 storing the geographical names on the map and displays it in the photographed location field. If the displayed geographical name is OK, the user operates the console unit 3 and the CPU 10 stores the displayed image and the geographical name in the memory 14 and the registration operation of the photographed location is terminated.

[0042] The graphics representing the geographical names is initially stored in the database program and the user selects the graphic representing the geographical name to register the photographed location.

[0043] While the location has been explained as the attribute information, graphic representing a calendar may be displayed for the attribute information representing date and any other item which can be represented on graphics for the attribute information may be registered in the same manner.

[0044] A plurality of maps to be displayed may be provided so that the user may selectively use them. The maps may be prepared hieratically so that a detailed location may be registered.

[0045] The registration of data when fuzzy image is set as the attribute information is now explained. In the present embodiment, a graph representing a degree of refreshness is displayed in registering data and the user drops an icon to a desired position to register the data.

[0046]FIG. 4 shows such a registration method for registering the degree of refreshness.

[0047] In registering the data, when the degree of refreshness is designated as the attribute information, an image shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the display 1. A graph representing the degree of refreshness and an icon of the multimedia data (image data in the illustrated example) to be registered are displayed on the display. The user selects the image by the pointing device such as the mouse of the console unit 3, moves it to a desired position on the graph and terminates the movement at that point so that it is registered as the degree of refreshness of the data.

[0048] The number of pixels n at the pointed position is registered as the degree of refreshness with the leftmost position on the graph being 0. The CPU 10 detects the pointed position on the graph and stores it in the memory 14 in association with the image then displayed. In the present embodiment, the range of possible numeral is a unit of the graph size (the number of pixels occupied on the screen) so that the range of numeral may be changed by changing the graph size. Alternatively, a range of value (for example, 0 to 100) rather than the graph size may be set.

[0049] In the present embodiment, since the graph representation used for the registration is also used for representing the attribute of the data and for the designation representation of the retrieval, the user need not know the actual numeric value used by the CPU 10 for the processing. Thus, the number of pixels on the screen which represents the resolution of the screen is used as the range of numeral.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the registration of the degree of refreshness by referring the image data to be registered has been explained. It would be more convenient if the registration may be made by comparing the degree of refreshness already registered so that a relative value may be registered. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, the multimedia data already registered may be displayed at the front and back positions of the cursor on the graph. An operation therefor is now explained with reference to a flow chart of FIG. 6.

[0051] In registering data, when a menu of front/back display is selected, the CPU 10 first detects the degree n of refreshness from the position of the cursor on the graph (step S101). Data having smaller than n degree is retrieved (step S103), and if the data is retrieved maximum data among the retrieved data is selected (steps S103 and S104). If there are a plurality of data having maximum value, all of them may be selected or only one of them may be selected. A selection criterion may be a first picked-up one or a latest file. After the data is selected, the corresponding image is read from the image 14 and displayed on the display 1 (step S105).

[0052] Similar retrieval is made for the data of no smaller than n and the one closest to n is selected and displayed (steps S106 to S109).

[0053] The user confirms the displayed data and if he/she determined that it is acceptable, he/she drops the mouse thereat. Otherwise, a similar operation is conducted at other position to compare with the registered data.

[0054] As described above, in registering the attribute information of the fuzzy image, the graph is displayed and the registration is made by using the graph. Thus, the burden of the user to determine the attribute value is reduced.

[0055] A display of the registered data is now explained with reference to FIG. 7.

[0056] As seen from FIG. 7, the graph and the registered position rather than the numeric value in the conventional system are displayed in the column of the degree of refreshness. When the user designates the range of possible numeral, the numerals may also be displayed together with the graph.

[0057] The retrieval of the registered data is now explained. FIG. 8 shows a screen displayed on the display 1 when the degree of refreshness is selected as the key word (attribute information) in the retrieval operation.

[0058] When the item of the degree of refreshness is selected by the console unit 3 in the retrieval operation, the screen of FIG. 8 is displayed. When the range of retrieval on the graph is designated by the pointing device, the CPU 10 detect a minimum degree and a maximum degree within the range. Data in the corresponding range of the data stored in the memory 14 is read from the memory 14 and the image corresponding to the read image data is displayed in the image display area at the bottom of the screen. When there are a plurality of corresponding images, they may be displayed in reduced form depending on the number of images.

[0059] In the present embodiment, the same graphic is used for the operations of registration, display and retrieval and the registration and retrieval may be easily conducted in sense of feeling. Thus, the burden to the user is reduced. Further, an optimum method may be provided for the retrieval of data by feeling.

[0060] In the above embodiment, one attribute information is graphically represented for registration and retrieval. Similarly, two attribute information may be registered and retrieved. FIG. 9 shows a manner to select the degree of brightness and the degree of refreshness as the attribute information and display them two-dimensionally.

[0061] When the user directly enters the plurality of related parameters, the burden increases more than that required to handle one parameter, but by drugging and dropping data on the two-dimensional graph, the data may be readily registered.

[0062] In the retrieval operation, the range of retrieval is designated on the two-dimensional graph shown in FIG. 9 as it is in the previous embodiment. The images in the retrieval range are displayed on the right side of the screen.

[0063] In the registration of the data, the image corresponding to the adjacent data is displayed as it is in the previous embodiment. An operation when the degree of brightness nb and the degree of refreshness nc are designated on the two-dimensional graph is explained with reference to a flow chart of FIG. 10.

[0064] The CPU 10 detects the degrees nb and nc from the position of the cursor on the graph (step S201). It sets a minimum retrieval range, for example, the degree equal to the detected degree as the retrieval range (step S202). After the retrieval range is set, whether there is data in the retrieval range or not is detected, and it there is, the corresponding data is read from the memory 14 and stored in the RAM 11 (steps S203 to S205).

[0065] Whether the number of data is equal to or larger than a preset number k or not is determined, and if it is smaller than k, whether there is corresponding data in the same retrieval range or not is determined.

[0066] If the corresponding data is not present in the same retrieval range in the step S204, the retrieval range is expanded forward and backward by one step both for the degree of brightness and the degree of refreshness (step S208), whether the range is maximum or not is determined (step S209), and if not maximum, the data is retrieved again in that range.

[0067] If the retrieval range is maximum in the step S209, the image corresponding to the data stored in the RAM 11 and the fact that the number of data detected is smaller than the preset number k are displayed in a step S207.

[0068] If the number of data detected is equal to or larger than the preset number k in the step S206, the images corresponding to the detected data are displayed. If no data is detected, it is displayed and the process is terminated. An example of display is shown in FIG. 11. In this example, the preset value is 3 and three data have been detected.

[0069] In the present embodiment, when two attribute information are registered and retrieved, the two-dimensional graph is used so that the burden to the user is reduced and the data may be registered and retrieved in a simple operation.

[0070] More than two data may be registered at a time. FIG. 12 illustrates an example when six parameters are registered. If the user is to directly enter the six related parameters, it would be a big burden to the user. By graphically representing as shown in FIG. 12 and designating by the icon, the registration may be made in a simple operation.

[0071] In accordance with the first embodiment, the graph or graphics representing the possible values of the attribute information of the multimedia information to be stored is displayed and a desired position on the graph or graphics is pointed to store the multimedia data and the attribute information. Thus, the storing operation of the data may be conducted in a simple and feeling manner and the burden to the user is reduced.

[0072] Further, by using the common graph to store and retrieve the data, the operability is improved in the store operation as well as in the retrieval operation.

[0073] In the data retrieval operation, the attribute information is graphically displayed and the retrieval range is designated on the graph. Thus, the retrieval may be conducted in a simple operation and the operability is highly improved. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A processing apparatus comprising: (a) input means for inputting multimedia data; (b) display means for displaying status of attribute data for the multimedia data in a graphic form; (c) designation means for designating a desired position on the graphic; and (d) memory means for storing the attribute data in accordance with the designation by said designation means.
 2. A processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said multimedia data includes image data and said display means displays an image of the image data.
 3. A processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said display means displays a graphic representing possible values of the attribute data.
 4. A processing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said memory means stores the value corresponding to the desired position as the attribute data.
 5. A processing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the multimedia data includes image data and said display means displays an image corresponding to the image data having the attribute value of the position other than the desired position.
 6. A processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said display means displays status of a plurality of types of attribute data by one graphic.
 7. A processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said designation means stores the multimedia data inputted by said input means in accordance with the designation by said designation means.
 8. A processing apparatus comprising: (a) memory means for storing multimedia data and attribute data for the multimedia data; (b) display means for displaying status of the attribute data in graphic form; (a) designation means for designating a desired position on the graphic, and (d) read means for reading the multimedia data from said memory in accordance with the designation by said designation means.
 9. A processing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the multimedia data includes image data and said display means displays an image of the image data.
 10. A processing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said display means displays a graphic representing possible values of the attribute data.
 11. A processing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said designation means designates a predetermined range on the graphic and said read means reads the multimedia data having the attribute value in the designated range from said memory means.
 12. A processing apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the multimedia data includes image data and said display means displays an image of the image data read by said read means together with the graphic.
 13. A processing apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said display means displays status of a plurality of types of attribute data in one graphic.
 14. A multimedia data storage apparatus comprising: means for displaying possible values of attribute data for multimedia data to be stored in graphic form; and means for storing the multimedia data and the attribute data in a memory by designating a position on the graphic.
 15. A processing method comprising the steps of: (a) inputting multimedia data; (b) displaying status of attribute data for the multimedia data in a graphic form; (c) designating a desired position on the graphic; and (d) storing the attribute data in accordance with the designation by said designation step.
 16. A processing method according to claim 15 wherein said multimedia data includes image data and said display step displays an image of the image data.
 17. A processing method according to claim 15 wherein said display step displays a graphic representing possible values of the attribute data.
 18. A processing method according to claim 17 wherein said store step stores the value corresponding to the desired position as the attribute data.
 19. A processing method according to claim 17 wherein the multimedia data includes image data and said display step displays an image corresponding to the image data having the attribute value of the position other than the desired position.
 20. A processing method according to claim 15 wherein said display step displays status of a plurality of types of attribute data by one graphic.
 21. A processing method according to claim 15 wherein said designation step stores the multimedia data inputted by said input step in accordance with the designation by said designation step.
 22. A processing method comprising the steps of: (a) storing multimedia data and attribute data for the multimedia data; (b) displaying status of the attribute data in graphic form; (c) designating a desired position on the graphic; and (d) reading the multimedia data from said memory in accordance with the designation by said designation step.
 23. A processing method according to claim 22 wherein the multimedia data includes image data and said display step displays an image of the image data.
 24. A processing method according to claim 22 wherein said display step displays a graphic representing possible values of the attribute data.
 25. A processing method according to claim 24 wherein said designation step designates a predetermined range on the graphic and said read step reads the multimedia data having the attribute value in the designated range from the memory.
 26. A processing method according to claim 24 wherein the multimedia data includes image data and said display step displays an image of the image data read by said read step together with the graphic.
 27. A processing method according to claim 22 wherein said display step displays status of a plurality of types of attribute data in one graphic. 